THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504300073
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VALHALLA LENGTH: Long : 152 lines
A black Perquimans County Schools van lumbers up a dirt road that is little more than parallel tire ruts crawling through a farm field.
Volunteers help half a dozen kids out of the bus to the rain-softened earth as a diverse ensemble of horses waits in the wings nearby.
As the kids flock into a hay-filled tack room just after 10:30 a.m. to don their white safety helmets, 19-year-old La'Kesha Tillett grabs volunteer Suellen Bloom from behind in a playful hug and giggles.
Bloom introduces the bespectacled Bobby Ryder, 14, who ``always asks which television stations do you watch'' and knows the personalities by name.
The group circles for exercises, which help the kids limber up as well as practice counting and following directions. Eleven-year-old Shaun Brooks pumps his legs to indicate his preference for running in place. Eric Eason, 7, is reminded to move just his head, not sway like a birch, during the neck exercises.
The kids, with varying mental disabilities, have been brought from exceptional children's classes in three Perquimans County schools. It's their turn at the center, and as Perquimans County Special Olympics co-coordinator Linda Logan says, they are ``tickled pink'' to be here.
They have come, simply, to ride horses - for fun, exercise and a tremendous boost of self-esteem.
``They're getting to do something that normally they probably wouldn't be introduced to,'' says Karen Boston, office manager and assistant riding instructor for the Albemarle Recreation and Leadership Training Center for Disabled Persons. ``They're actually doing something themselves.''
The center, in operation since 1992, provides therapeutic riding for mentally and physically disabled people throughout the area. The program serves students during the school year and works with adults through local mental health programs in the summer.
The Albemarle Recreation Center grew from Interim Director Bob Harrell's experience with his own granddaughter, now 12, who has Down syndrome. Like many of the children now riding, she was apprehensive at first but grew to love the activity.
``We just noticed how Ashlee began to relate to that little four-legged animal, and it just reciprocated,'' says Harrell, 70, a retired Baptist minister and greenhouse grower. Ashlee now will come ``out here in this riding ring by herself and go trotting all over the place.''
Seeing the effect on Ashlee, Harrell invited some of her classmates to ride. From that, the project grew. In 1992, it involved 18 students. Now it serves about 75 kids and 75 adults. Its organizers hope to serve many more.
The center is operating from what Boston calls ``temporary facilities'' on about three acres subleased on the farm on Morristown Road, five miles north of Edenton.
But the group just this month was approved for a $150,000 loan through the Farmers Home Administration. The money will be used immediately to buy the 80-acre farm. After that, hopes for the organization are nearly endless.
Harrell and Boston, the center's only paid staff, envision environmental education, trails and canoeing at Bennett's Millpond nearby. On the farmland, they picture a permanent horse barn, indoor and outdoor riding arenas, a pool, a gymnasium and a skating rink that will be available for everyone.
The center also aims to expand its services to help at-risk children. Already, it culls volunteers from an alternative program at John A. Holmes High School in Edenton. Three students - Charles Martin, 19, Lorenzo Miller, 16, and Robert Beasley, 16 - participate in exercises and help the children through their preparations.
The budget for the Albemarle Recreation Center this year was about $80,000, Harrell says. Money comes from private donors, foundations, school systems and mental health departments. Next year, Harrell expects funding to double.
As the center grows in services, ``we're going to have to greatly expand our horizons in funding,'' Harrell says.
But today, the focus remains on the riding and the charge that it gives to the children.
The kids scramble or amble atop wooden mounting blocks, where the patient horses await. Some children climb aboard with minimal assistance; others are lifted by a couple of volunteers.
One by one the children mount, locking their faces in concentration as they settle into the saddle, responding to questions and instructions from Boston, slowly taking hold of the reins, and then breaking into grins as wide and natural as the surrounding fields when the horse moves under their command.
With coaching, the children are instructed to say ``walk on'' and squeeze their heels gently into the horses' sides. Then they are taken, with a volunteer at the lead rope, into the riding arena.
In rides Raushawn Brown, 13, atop Flower; Shaun on the white Arabian, Romancer; Ricky Carter, 16, on Cassy; 10-year-old Tony Basnight on Sunny Delight; Bobby on Cherokee Flame.
La'Kesha hollers ``whoa'' as the team works to get her straight on Mr. Sandman. Then she orders, ``C'mon, walk,'' and the horse moves off.
The little tan pony bearing Eric has a bounce in her, and Eric bobs with each step as Cinnamon breaks into a trot while Robert, at the lead rope, steadies her.
``This horse, he's going too fast,'' Robert half jokes as Charles joins in to help.
``Work on heels down, everybody,'' Harrell shouts as the horses work their way around the ring. ``Heels down. Back straight.''
Robert and Charles lead Eric to the fence bordering a smaller pen, where the group's 5-week-old Arabian filly, Princess Jasmin, alternately strolls and skitters to and fro.
Robert and Charles try to coax Jasmin toward the fence, and her spindly legs make tentative movements in that direction until Cinnamon lowers her head, sending Jasmin scurrying back toward her mother.
``I spend most of my time with this project now,'' Harrell says, leaning against the wooden fence as Jasmin nips at him from behind. ``I've enjoyed it more than anything I've ever been connected with. Great day in the world, how could you not enjoy it?
``You know what inspires me so much? Listen at the chatter.''
As volunteers lead them around the ring, the kids talk to the horses, to the volunteers, to each other. They bring up fishing and vacations, exchange riding advice, tell jokes.
``They love it,'' Boston says. She stops to help Raushawn, whose gear is sliding off-center. ``You don't want to fall off today, huh?'' she asks him.
``Sure don't,'' he responds, with a calm shake of the head.
At 11 a.m., the horses line up for a game of red light-green light, proceeding and stopping at Boston's command. A round of Simon Says follows, until Harrell calls time at about 11:15. The class has passed with little notice that time has moved at all.
The kids dismount at the gate. Romancer kisses Shaun on the cheek after he is helped off. ``He likes you,'' a volunteer tells him.
Clutching pictures of a horse to color and bring back with them next time, the children pile back into the van and lumber off to their schools again.
``The kids that are here are so happy to be here,'' says Leslie Miner of Elizabeth City, one of about 10 adult volunteers who work with the center. Combined with the exercises, ``It's a fun way just to reinforce some basic skills.''
``When you see the kids and their reactions . . .'' adds volunteer Don English, a minister at Center Hill Baptist Church in Tyner. ``I told my wife, sometimes I think it's more therapeutic for me than for the kids.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
DREW C. WILSON/Staff
At the Albemarle Recreation and Leadership Training Center for
Disabled Persons, students play Simon Says.
After riding, Eric Eason, 7, reaches out toward a young filly at a
stable. Students' visits to the center include exercises, games and
riding.
Graphic
ABOUT THE CENTER
The Albemarle Recreation and Leadership Training Center for Disabled
Persons, based just north of Edenton, hopes to expand its activities
and to offer educational programs at a nearby millpond. The group is
looking for financial support and volunteers. Experience with horses
is not necessary.
For more information, to volunteer or to contribute, call (919)
482-5769 or write to P.O. Box 57, Edenton, N.C.
by CNB